International Pulp and Paper Company Staff House(Deer Lake)

The International Pulp and Paper Company Staff House is a good regional example of planned company housing. Constructed between 1923 and 1924 for employees of the Newfoundland Power and Paper Company Limited, the building is a worthy example of the type of staff quarters built by industrial enterprises in Newfoundland and Labrador during the first half of the twentieth century.

International Pulp & Paper Company Staff House, Deer Lake, NL

The International Pulp & Paper Company Staff House is associated with the early days of large scale settlement in Deer Lake and industrial development on the west coast of the island.

The building is a testament to both the early days of large scale settlement in Deer Lake and industrial development on the west coast of the island. While in the mid 1800s some loggers and trappers had made homes in the area around what is now Deer Lake, large scale settlement did not occur until the Newfoundland Power and Paper Company began construction of a hydro-electric power generator on the site in 1922. Between 1923-1925, three thousand men were employed in the developing community, constructing the plant, dams and canals, necessitating the building of such structures as the Staff House. Acquired by the International Pulp and Paper Company upon its completion in 1925, the power plant provided much of the electricity for the growing Corner Brook paper mill. Deer Lake continued to grow as industrial labour needs increased and workers migrated to the new community to meet the demand.

The International Pulp and Paper Company Staff House stands alone in an open space with views across Deer Lake and its environs. It is located on a main thoroughfare in the town and is in close proximity to other significant structures, such as the power plant, and recreational areas. It is presently used as a meeting place by Humber Lodge Masons.

The structure was recognized as a Registered Heritage Structure by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in April 2002.